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Rotterdam, July 20th, 2012 – Founded in 1931 and headquartered in Rotterdam, family-owned De Gier BV has been in the lifting business for more than 80 years. Seeking an efficient new solution to meet its customers' needs and the demands of today’s tough economical environment, the company recently invested in the latest Terex 55-tonne capacity class all-terrain crane. This makes them the owners of the first Challenger 3160 in the Netherlands.

Providing the complete transport, lift and rental package, De Gier prides itself on the high quality of its 24/7 customer service. Even Rotterdam’s transport authority counts on De Gier for maintenance and repair of the city’s tram service whenever required, day or night. Elder son and company owner Richard, who focuses on the operational side of the company’s business, says, “In terms of service, let’s say that the impossible we do immediately, for amazing we need a couple more minutes! As for our lifting crew, I’m glad to say they have been with us for a long time, so they don’t simply operate our cranes, they’re real lifting experts.”

Fast operation, versatile, cost-efficient and roadable

“Set-up only takes half an hour, and its strong, 6-tonne line pull means less reevings which makes for faster lifts,” notes crane operator Ramco Remhorst. ““Handling is great, and there’s plenty of room in the cab.”

From an owner’s standpoint, “Profitability is good, which is a big asset in a down market,” notes Richard. “The Challenger is powerful enough to do jobs that larger cranes usually do and it costs less to operate.” For example: The De Gier team chose the Challenger 3160 to help dismantle the components of a gantry crane weighing 10,200-kg at 10-meter (32.8 ft) radius from a height of 12 meters (39.4 ft),instead of using a larger capacity crane.

It’s also very versatile, fast to set-up and easy to operate by a single operator, which means more lifts in a day. On several occasions, we completed up to as many as three. Its boom length is outstanding, and having that reach without adding a jib saves a lot of time - and money, which is a benefit for our customers and our business.”

For De Gier, in addition to providing the dual benefits of fast lifting performance and cost-efficiencies, the Challenger’s road ability is another notable asset.

“We use the Challenger 3160 in diverse applications: From general construction and scaffolding work, to the placement of air-conditioning units, satellite dishes and aerials. Another task that this crane excels at is as an auxiliary crane for large all terrain cranes. For example, we used it recently to rig an AC 350 in luffing jib and SSL configuration,” explains De Gier.

As underlined by Richard, “It’s very compact - and as road regulations are getting stricter, its ability to travel within 12-tonne axle load limitations is something that we see as being very important today and in the future here in the Netherlands.”

About the Terex Challenger 3160 all terrain crane

The powerful and compact Terex Challenger 3160 is currently the only three-axle crane with a 55-tonne lifting capacity designed with one-person operation in mind. With a 50-m single-cylinder telescopic boom and a maximum lifting capacity of 35.6 tonnes when working with a reach of four meters, the Terex Challenger 3160 can be operated independently by a single person while remaining under an axle load limit of 12 tonnes (for countries with a maximum axle load limit of 10 tonnes, the crane can set down its own counterweight, keeping the unit’s total service weight under 30 tonnes).

About De Gier

Founded in 1931 and headquartered in Rotterdam, family-owned De Gier has been in the lifting business for four generations. From the hand winches of its initial years, to erecting steel structures with cranes used by the army after World War II, the company has built its successful, time-proven track record based on a solid reputation for expert lifting skills and dedicated around the clock customer service. Today, the company is fully certified to provide a complete transport, lift and rental package, including crane maintenance and the specialized skills required to rig and de-rig crawler cranes.

Co-managed by Jan De Gier and sons Richard and Robbert who represent the family’s fourth generation. While Robbert dedicates his time to commercial aspects, his elder brother and company owner Richard puts his hands-on experience to the operational side of the business, where he enjoys being on-site with customers in the field.

De Gier currently employs a team of 40 staff and operates a comprehensive fleet of 23 cranes offering a full range of lifting capacities, including 11 Terex crane models.

Beyond its technical skills, De Gier also has a firm belief in the quality of the relationships it builds with its customers. More information about De Gier BV can be found at www.de-gier.com.

About Terex

Terex Corporation is a diversified global manufacturer of a broad range of equipment that is focused on delivering reliable, customer-driven solutions for many applications, including the construction, infrastructure, quarrying, mining, shipping, transportation, refining, energy, utility and manufacturing industries. Terex reports in five business segments: Aerial Work Platforms; Construction; Cranes; Material Handling & Port Solutions; and Materials Processing. Terex offers financial products and services to assist in the acquisition of equipment through Terex Financial Services. More information can be found at www.terex.com

Chosen for the advantages of fast set-up and lifting performance, De Gier used the Terex Challenger 3160 to unload the boom sections and rig the SF jib configuration of a Terex AC 350, which was used to place a new cooling system on an office building in Rotterdam.

The Challenger 3160 helped to dismantle the components of a gantry crane weighing at 10,200-kg at 10-meter (32.8 ft) radius from a height of 12 meters (39.4 ft).